that was billed as a middle-of-the-road brand for most of its existence. You’ve probably seen a lot of Mercurys on the road without even realizing it. Lucky for you, we’ve captured a list of 10 you should know about.

We've created a guide to all the best Mercurys that were produced up until the early 2000s. Whether you’re in the market for a Mercury because you like automotive nostalgia or are just curious about the history of these oft-forgotten vehicles, we’re breaking it all down for you.

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What makes an old car great?

Mercury was put in a tough spot. As the sister company to Ford, those cars would always look similar (or in some cases, exactly the same) to the more tried-and-true American cars on the road that Dearborn was producing.

But Mercury tended to take a more sensible approach to their vehicles. Not looking to reinvent the wheel, they wanted to enter segments with alternatives for car buyers who were not looking to spend top dollar. They target customers who wanted something they could rely upon—even at the expense of style.

Along the way, Mercury designed a few cars that are sought after by collectors. Whether it was on purpose or by mistake, we’ll never know—but to be in that conversation is something Mercury executives can hang their hats on.

What follows is a list of the best Mercury cars of all time. Some were great, some were merely sensible. But they were all remarkable in their own way.

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10. Mercury Marauder (1963-2004): roaming the streets

The

Marauder

was an intimidating vehicle in the Mercury lineup, and it’s definitely one of the more memorable vehicles of the line. An upgraded chassis and powertrain meant power everywhere. If you found yourself behind the wheel of this bad boy, one might mistake you for one of our boys in blue. Not a bad thing if you wanted the road to yourself.

The Marauder was discontinued in 2004 after less-than-stellar sales.

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9. Mercury Coupe (1950): artistic inspiration

You might envision little red Corvettes and pink Cadillacs when you think about songs written about cars, but don’t sleep on the Mercury Coupe. This car—popular in hot rod circles in the 50s—was also the inspiration for a few songs that gained popularity at that time.

With a distinctive design and larger V8 engine than the Ford design it was based on, this car captured attention so much so that it was featured in the movie Rebel Without a Cause.

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8. Mercury Capri (1970-1994): built for speed

This little number was never produced on a scale worthy of being well known—which is too bad because the Mercury-McClaren connection produced a car that was on the road for one reason: to go fast.

With a distinctive design for the time, this vehicle was billed as a European model that Road & Track said had the styling and image capable of selling cars for the brand.

A 1.6-liter Cosworth inline-four engine provided the power of 186 horses, which was a slightly modified version of its cousin that had a home in Formula-Atlantic racing.

7. Mercury Cougar (1967-1997,1999-2002): on the prowl

The Cougar was the highest-selling nameplate of the Mercury brand—and rightfully so.

Mercury

dealerships all over the country hitched their wagon to the cat logo in their marketing materials.

Judging by its design, this vehicle was aimed at taking on certain Ford vehicles in its heyday. The Cougar made its way through eight generations before finally taking a bow in the early 2000s—but not before it paved its way into the hearts of muscle car aficionados everywhere.

6. Mercury Montclair (1955-1960, 1964-1968): a sight at sock hops

Like many

Mercury

vehicles, the Montclair shared its name and body style with a Ford vehicle. This snazzy selection was introduced in 1955 as the company’s newest full-size, top-range sedan. It was the lowest sedan available at the time and came in a multitude of styles, including two-door hardtop, convertible, and four-door sedan.

It was pure 1950s aesthetic, too. It’s not hard to imagine a group of teenagers taking one of these babies to a school dance or drive-in movie, putting the top down to let it breathe, and spending a glorious night out on the town with friends. And if necessary, the top could close quickly to give Johnny and Susie some privacy.

This car made it into the late 60s before the Montclair fell victim to a consolidation of nameplates within the Mercury brand. But it captured the hearts of people who came of age in the 50s and remains a fond memory of a simpler time.

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5. Mercury Grand Marquis (1975-2011): everyone had one

The Mercury Grand Marquis is one of those cars that was everywhere at the height of its popularity, but you just never noticed it.

It closely resembled a Ford Crown Victoria, which was the preferred choice for police vehicles. Everyone experienced that moment of heart-stopping terror driving home late at night from a party and having a Grand Marquis pull up behind you—only to realize it wasn’t the local PD.

It remains a testament to the sedan’s sturdiness and reliability that it was ubiquitous without being too in-your-face about its popularity. It was roomy, reliable, and sturdy, with some reports of the car being driven for upwards of 300,000 miles while needing only minimal upkeep.

This vehicle made a slight comeback in 2011 but didn’t stick around for long. In fact, when the last Grand Marquis came off of the assembly line, it also brought to a close the full Mercury line of vehicles—putting an end to a decades-long experiment.

4. Mercury Comet Cyclone (1960-1969, 1971-1977): a rising star

The Comet Cyclone enjoyed success on par with its mass-produced brethren, the

Ford Mustang

and

Chevrolet Camaro

Originally modeled off of the Ford Falcon and Ford Fairlane, the Comet Cyclone lasted five generations but was removed to make way for the Mercury Zephyr that debuted in 1978.

Owing to its longevity, a 91-year-old woman in Florida put 576,000—yes, thousand—miles on her once-brand-new Comet before retiring it in 2012 due to bad eyesight. Had she been able to see, that car might still be on the road turning heads!

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3. Mercury Sable (1986-2005, 2008-2009): the missing link

This automotive staple of the 90s and 2000s was developed alongside the Ford Taurus as part of a $3.5 billion joint project, which is why the cars look so similar.

It was roomy and comfortable inside, if not very appealing outside. But it was designed to wedge its way into the sedan marketplace and seemed to meet its goal of being firmly entrenched.

Chances are high that you or a friend had one of these babies. They were perfect for squeezing as many friends as possible in the spacious backseat for nights spent cruising up and down Main Street.

Mercury discontinued the Sable after the 2009 model year, leaving the Taurus out on its own.

2. Mercury Tracer (1986-1999): built for a purpose

The Tracer was developed to reach a wider demographic that was interested in a more economical car. Whether they met that goal is up for debate.

The Tracer was originally sold in Canada and reached the United States in early 1987. Like so many other Mercury models, it was built in tandem with the Ford

Escort

, with the only major difference being the hue of the turn lenses.

The second generation sought to make change by offering up a station wagon design for those who wanted to pack more junk in their trunk. Third and fourth-generation models maintained slight changes, usually in line with what the Escort design changes were for that model.

Right before Mercury was ultimately shut down, Ford considered reviving the Tracer. Ultimately, the lure of something that wasn’t super-popular wasn’t enough to bring it back.

1. Mercury Cyclone Spoiler II (1969): the baddest of the bunch

Mercury flexed its muscles when they designed this bad boy. It was a souped-up version of the Cyclone, with its sole intent being to become more competitive in NASCAR stock car racing.

The only reason this car ever made its way to dealerships was because rules at the time required at least 500 cars to be put on sale for the public.

If you’re seeing a trend emerge when it comes to Ford and Mercury vehicles, you’re not wrong. The grill used was the very same as the one on the Ford Torino Talladega. Whether or not that led to its success on the track is up for debate, but the Cyclone Spoiler won eight Grand National races during the 1969 and 1970 NASCAR seasons—which meant the big bet on becoming more competitive paid off in spades.

Thanks to its success on the track, it gained cult-like status with car aficionados and remains one of the more collectible cars in the Mercury lineup.

Are your insurance rates rising like the Mercury?

Even though Mercury is no longer building cars, you can still find them and buy them—which means you need to ensure them. Whether you’re looking for affordable coverage for a Tracer on its last legs or something more significant for a souped-up Marauder, the

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